MORRISTOWN, NJ (Morris County) – Two men have been sentenced in connection with the September 2019 death of Jaime Lopez-Basilio in Parsippany, according to Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp.
On June 3, Rogelio Laureano-Gonzalez, 26, of Parsippany, entered guilty pleas to second-degree manslaughter and second-degree hindering own apprehension before Judge Stephen J. Taylor, P.J.Cr. On July 9, Judge Taylor imposed a sentence of 5 years in New Jersey State Prison with 85% parole ineligibility pursuant to the No Early Release Act, Knapp said.
Also on June 3, Cirilo Rojas-Paulino, 25, of Parsippany entered a guilty plea to third-degree hindering apprehension of another before Judge Taylor. On July 9, Judge Taylor sentenced Rojas-Paulino to 291 days time-served in the Morris County Jail as a condition of 2 years probation, Knapp said.
The investigation arose from a September 9, 2019 report of a deceased male inside a home in the area of Old Bloomfield Road, Parsippany-Troy Hills. The investigation confirmed that a deceased male’s body was located inside a residence in the area. The deceased male was identified as Lopez-Basilio and the manner of death was determined to be homicide, Knapp said.
The two residents of the home, Laureano-Gonzalez and Rojas-Paulino, could not be immediately located during the death investigation. A subsequent police investigation led to the apprehension of both individuals in California, Knapp said.
“The collaborative efforts of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in New Jersey and California brought these defendants to justice. We are very thankful to all involved for this successful prosecution and conviction,” Knapp said.
Oxnard (California) Police Department, the Kern County (California) Sheriff’s Office, the United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office – Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit assisted in the investigation.
